The Ring
by Merley
Summary: "Eric, for the past year or so, all I feel like I want to do is cry because I'm not happy, not the happy that Donna was when she was with you." Jackie and Eric share a moment in his basement after they recently suffer from a broken heart.


Pairing: Jackie/Eric

This is a story I've had on my computer for a while. When I found it, I quickly decided to polish it and send it out. This will probably be my only Jackie and Eric story unless more is requested than I will happily agree.

Hope you all like it.

* * *

It had been four months, fourteen hours, and twenty-two minutes since Forman and Pinciotti agreed that things weren't working out between them. Both were starting to go about their own lives - well, Donna moreso as she was having fun in the arms of her handsome radio manager while he, in turn, took her to restaurants which carried food better than the infamous chilly cheese hotdog and fries. Eric, on the other hand, drowned himself with his Jedi collection(not that he had ever stopped) and skin mags which told everyone that he was back to his old self - after wallowing in such a deep depression by confining himself in his room with minimal showers and shaving, he now seemed like he could go out without covering his eyes and hissing, "The light, it burns!"

Often times, he would find himself gazing down at the promise ring he gave Donna. His eyes among the fairly silver, slightly rusted ring which she had practically manipulated as a necklace.

He never really got it. Who uses a ring as a necklace anyway? It was a ring for goodness sakes; it was destined to be on the finger, not the neck. A real necklace was supposed to be on a neck. Perhaps a promise necklace, but no - this was a promise ring! (And don't tell him he was overreacting, he was getting tired of it!)

She ripped his heart out.

It was supposed to be a symbol of his love, a sign that they would be together forever - well, apparently things didn't always go as planned - for here he was now. Four months, fourteen hours and twenty-nine minutes later with the ring in hand, slouched on the middle of the couch and staring into space. He was baffled - baffled at how things turned out - baffled at how she could have rejected him after years of kissing, hugging, and man was the sex great.

Had she not felt the same way? Of course, if she had - a month and a half later she would not have been in the arms of that stupid radio manager of hers. And not bring him over to his house so he could watch in horrored silence as he kissed her cheek and everything around.

He could feel something in his eye.

When the door to the basement slammed open - he flinched and moved forward quickly as the ring fell to the ground beneath him and he quickly turned away. First to wipe his tears quickly(he didn't want the boys to embarrass him later), and then to turn to the intruder.

Jackie Burkhart was fuming. She dropped her bag on the closest chair and walked forward towards the freezer. She then turned to send Eric a glare - obvious she was angry and she wanted to take her anger out on someone. He simply blinked at her, and as he had failed to say anything - she began to pace, growling something under her breath which sounded like, "Damn that Michael!"

After recovering from his surprise, he looked to the ground and frantically looked around. He couldn't see the ring. After realizing he wasn't going to ask about it - Jackie collapsed on the couch beside him and forced him to look at her.

"Do you know what Michael's been doing these past couple of weeks?"

"Erm.. no?" Eric replied, although he knew all too well.

A flicker of all the things Michael Kelso could have been busted for infiltrated his mind, but he had a solid idea of what it was, "You'll never guess! He's been cheating on me.. with your trashy sister!" She growled, throwing herself back against the couch awaiting a reaction from him.

"Er... Damn that Kelso!"

"And the worst part-" She muttered, "Things were going so great. Said he loved me almost everyday. So I told him to say it - why go along with something if it's not true? I shared my money with him. I took a job just so we could be together, and this is how he repays me! By sleeping with a sleezy whore!"

"Hey, that's my sister you're talking about."

"Oh, why do you care? You hate her too!" She spit back at him.

She was right, but he had hoped perhaps it would cease some of the yelling. He didn't want to hear it anymore. He was sure that in a few days they'd be back together and everything would be fine like it always was. Unlike him and Donna,

"I don't care, for any of this." He told her outright, and stood. He felt he had overstayed his time moping over Donna for today, and it was now time to play with his dolls-erm.. action figures.

"Hey, where are you going?" She whined.

"Upstairs. Leianna needs me!" He turned to move upstairs while secretly roaming the ground to hopefully catch a glimpse of the ring. She quickly stood, rounding the couch to trap him.

"You can't!"

"And why not?"

"Because Eric-" Her shoulders fell limp, she was actually hurting real bad. It kind of made him guilty for his actions, but you couldn't really blame him. She was the devil in disguise! He felt her grab hold of his arms which forced her to look at her in confusion, "I need someone, and you're just a good listener."

Hadn't he heard that before? He grumbled as she pulled him towards the couch, "Now hold on a minute Jackie. Listen, I know Kelso hurt you by sleeping with my sister over a good chunk of your relationship, but shouldn't you see this as a blessing in disguise? No offense, but Kelso's kind of.. dumb, and a perv, and you're so much better than he-"

"What do you mean a good chunk of our relationship?"

God, he just couldn't do this. He was probably doing more harm than good. He had to make a mental note to avoid Kelso for the rest of the day, perhaps a week at most, "It's. um, look Jackie - I don't know what you expect me to say. If you want, Donna's across the lawn. I can go get her for you."

It was not like him and Donna didn't see each other. They still hung out at the basement, afterall. They just weren't as close as before. They didn't hold hands, didn't embrace, didn't say, "I love you."

And there was absolutely no sex. No sex for four months, fourteen hours, fifty-two minutes and twenty seconds. God help him.

She was probably with him too, but if it meant getting Jackie away from him - he would be best man to their wedding.

"No, I don't want to see anyone right now." She said sternly which caused him to raise his eyebrow. She didn't let go of his hands either, but he really didn't mind at this point. The most action he had in months, "God, Michael is such an idiot."

With a sigh, Eric sat back down on the couch deciding that Leianna would have to wait. He had his own problems to attend too: like how in the word he was ever going to get rid of the devil herself before she started with the meager insults and wifts about his ugly stubble which he had failed to shave this week. He was waiting for it. Anything. A crack at his oily hair, or perhaps his new side bangs.

"I mean, I gave him everything. My body, my money, I surrounded him with as much love as a girl could give a man. Hell, I even tolerated his disgusting friends- " She didn't pause and he wasn't offended, "After all I've given that sleeze ball, why I have a mind too..." She dragged out her sentence as she gazed back at her companion. A surprising calmness overwhelmed her, "God, why do I always attract the idiots?" She whispered, "I mean, you-"

Here it comes.

"You are just so-"

He was waiting for it.

"Cute and sweet and everything I look for in a man. You're perfect for me."

What? With a flicker of surprise(and his mouth which opened like a bag of chips), he stared at her as if she was crazy. He quickly took notice at how close she was. In a move, she could kiss him and he'd forever be tainted by the snakes of medusa which they all knew as Jackie, "You're kidding, right?" He asked her, dumbly, as he fell to the other side. He could feel a lump in his throat as the anger spilled out, "Don't kid around with me like that, I'm not in the mood. You know this!"

"I'm not kidding!" She retaliated, tried to reason, "God Eric.. Look, I know you think I hate all of you, but I really don't. You guys have become a big part of my life, and I can't thank you enough for how much you've made me grow."

He fell silent.

"You were here everytime I needed help. That time when I thought I was pregant, you kept telling me it would be okay and it was. And Donna - gosh Donna - whenever she was with you, she would smile. All the time, even when you were being annoying and bringing up some lame jedi reference during your date." How did she know that? "Eric, for the past year or so, all I feel like I want to do is cry because I'm not happy, not the happy that Donna was when she was with you.."

".. Are you saying you're jealous of Donna?" The horror of the statement came at him at full force - how Donna would totally take advantage of this moment if she knew.

She had fallen silent as well.

Maybe it was just the spur of the moment, but the thought of being with Jackie processed in his mind. Maybe it wasn't so bad as he thought. Of course, he could do without the bossiness and she would probably disown him if he ever brought up his Jedi collection with her, but she was growing up to be a pretty good person. Getting a job just so she could be with her boyfriend - and she was very close to his own father.

What was she doing?

".. I - should go." He muttered as he stood up, but he didn't move from his spot. Neither did she. He was no longer scrambling on the floor trying to find the busted our ring, rather he looked straight ahead at the blank TV screen which reflected their appearances off well. And it showed that she was looking back at the television screen herself, desperately waiting for something.

Anything. She didn't want to be alone right now, "Er.. Jackie-"

"What she did was worse." He heard her say which made him blink and quickly turn to her in confusion. What was she- she was no longer looking at him, "I mean, it's a promise ring for goodness sakes. Not a promise necklace."

He blinked and practically fell beside her with a shocked expression, I know! He wanted to scream.

"I mean Michael never bought me any of that - and now I know why." He could hear a crack in her voice as she moved to grab something out of her purse and out came a folded up white shirt - which he could only presume was Kelso's, "This is the only thing he has ever given me. His shirt after a night of passion - and he didn't even give it to me too, he left it." She moved to take a wiff of the strong perfumed scent, before she threw it to the side disgustingly.

He could not ignore the slight tingle in his chest; could it be that he just couldn't take that someone else was badmouthing Donna? Or was it because Jackie was here - and playing with his emotions?

He couldn't tell, but he realized that he didn't want to be alone either, "Hey Jackie-" He started, causing her to look up at him, "You want to - er, get a burger or something."

He noticed her eyes widen as she picked herself up, "I'd like that."

He smiled and turned to leave - but with a pause, looked back to her, "By the way, don't take this offensively. But you just found out Michael was cheating on you, and your best friend is my ex. So right now, let's stay fr- .. well, the way we are. And if anything happens along the road,.. well, I can only say that when it happens, right?"

He regretted his choice of words, until he saw her brighten up and nod without another word as he opened the door for her, "Um, your go."

"Can we still hold hands?" She teased him, causing him to flush red as he followed after her and shut their door to the past - at least, only for a moment.


End file.
